New resort offers a blissful Thai experience

Phuket is always a delight - and the Meliá Hotels group is known for running top-notch establishments around the globe.  

No surprise, then, that the brand-new Meliá Phuket Mai Khao is proving extremely popular after opening in a delightful beachfront setting in January.  

 

The 30-suite and 70-villa resort sits on eight acres of Phuket’s north-western coastline overlooking the Andaman Sea and has very chilled vibe with a focus on wellness. 

 

There is also a delightful cross-cultural Thailand meets Europe feel, particularly when it comes to the cuisine.  

 

You can dine on paella, or pizza, one night and then chicken sate and spicy prawns and rice the next. 

 

From yoga and pilates classes to cold-pressed juice making lessons and dawn beach walks, it is hard not to feel good. Regular readers may not be surprised by the fact I opted out of a Muay Thai kickboxing class.   

 

Fronting Phuket’s longest stretch of sand, the resort on Mai Khao Beach is close to several attractions such as Sirinat National Park, Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation, and Wat Phra Thong temple.  

 

Phuket International Airport is just a 15-minute drive away but there is no aircraft noise and the whole resort is delightfully chilled with an almost deserted beach to explore. I’m told you can, in fact, walk all the way to the airport.  

 

Launched by Melia Hotels International and owned by residential real estate developer Phuket Villa Group, the five-star resort is part of a roll-out of the Meliá brand in key destinations across Thailand including Koh Samui, Chiang Mai and Bangkok. 

 

The new resort has saltwater swimming pools, private villa pools (perfect for cooling off after a walk), a reflection pond with sunken seating areas and water gardens.

 

The Mediterranean-inspired accommodations (Melia is a Spanish company) comprise 30 one-bedroom suites and 70 one-bedroom villas that each cater for up to two adults and two children.  

 

All feature outdoor bathtubs, open-air showers and outdoor terraces. 

 

The 78sqm suites are complemented by cabanas and the 85sqm one-bedroom villas have those delightful private plunge pools. 

 

Fifteen “wellness villas” feature an open-air Vitamin C shower, daily massage, ultrasonic essential oil diffuser, GermGuardian air purifier, Tempur-Pedic pillows, fit ball and yoga mat.  

 

Meliá Phuket Mai Khao features four food and beverage outlets including the Gaia Beach Club eatery – the main dinner destination with that Spain-meets-Thailand menu.

 

There is also the all-day dining restaurant SASA, specialising in south-east Asian cuisine, while Elyxr Café will serve fresh squeezed juices and some locally brewed liquors. There is also be a swim-up pool bar. 

 

Meliá’s signature YHI Spa is home to five treatment rooms. In addition to its extensive menu of massages, facials, body scrubs and wraps, spa therapists also provide poolside and in-villa treatments. 

 

The fitness centre is equipped with treadmills, ellipticals, exercise bikes and weights machines – all of which I studiously ignored. 

 

“Through our partnership with Spain’s leading hotel group, we are thankful that we can significantly contribute to Phuket’s recovery in the wake of Covid-19 by creating much-needed jobs for the local tourism sector and setting a new benchmark for hospitality on Thailand’s largest island,” said Maetapong Upatising, Phuket Villa Group's managing director. 

 

The staff here are super efficient and friendly - as is the Thai way – and nothing is to much trouble.  

 

A great destination for couples and families, but too far from the action in Patong for party animals. Which is a good thing.  

 

See www.melia.com/en/hotels/thailand/phuket/melia-phuket-mai-khao/index.htm 

 

Getting there: 

 

# Jetstar flights between Sydney and Phuket operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays (twice per week return services). 

Melbourne flights operate on Tuesdays and Sundays.  

Sydney to Phuket fares start from $319 and Melbourne to Phuket from $289. There are economy and business class options on the comfortable Boeing 787-8 aircraft. See www.jetstar.com.au  

 

 

 

 

Qantas invests in the future

Prepare to fly longer and further with Qantas. 

The Qantas Group today announced a major aircraft buy to take it into the future.

“We're extremely excited to announce an order of 12 Airbus A350-1000s, an aircraft designed to redefine travel, with the ability to fly non-stop from Australia's east coast to almost anywhere in the world,” the Australian flag carrier said in press statement. “Partnering with Airbus and Australian industrial designer, David Caon, our A350 promises a five-star flying experience, with premium designer details and all new levels of luxurious comfort. The A350 sets a new standard in premium travel with over 40% of the aircraft's seats dedicated to premium cabins.  “The A350 is designed to be as comfortable as it is convenient. Featuring a Wellbeing Zone complete with a self-serve snack and hydration station and digital displays providing movement and stretching recommendations, generous economy legroom and cabin interiors designed to work with your body clock and maximise comfort so you'll arrive refreshed and ready at your destination.” The airline says the introduction of the A350s will make almost any city in the world just one flight away from Australia. Flights are scheduled for take-off in late 2025 to destinations such as London and New York from Sydney, and will also be able to operate non-stop to other destinations such as Paris and Frankfurt. I am not enthused, personally, about 20 hours non-stop in the air. My personal preference would always be for a stopover, preferably in Bangkok or Hong Kong. But I am, apparently, a dinosaur.   Qantas will also be renewing its domestic fleet from late 2023 and has ordered 20 Airbus A321XLR and 20 Airbus A220-300s.

Entering Thailand is now as simple as ABC

There is reggae music coming from the beach. The massage ladies are in full voice and the food stalls are back in business.  

At The Slate hotel on Nai Yang beach the Vegemite is back on the breakfast buffet and all the world is back at play.

  

I flew in on Jetstar two days before travel restrictions were lifted but even the Covid-test and overnight quarantine were handled deftly and swiftly.  

Now vaccinated travellers can fly into Bangkok and Phuket with very few rules in place.  

The crowds may be starting to return to Nai Yang, but the beach (above) was still close to deserted yesterday.

Vaccinated travellers must still have the following documents for entering Thailand: 

• # A valid passport, and a Thailand Pass (via https://tp.consular.go.th/), or a Border Pass for arrivals via border checkpoints. 

• # An insurance policy with coverage no less than US$10,000. is requirement. 

• # A Certificate of Covid-19 Vaccination

• 
  

• # Unvaccinated travellers, or fools, as we call them, must provide proof of prepayment for five-night quarantine at government-approved hotel/s.  

•  

• # The quarantine is excluded for unvaccinated/not fully vaccinated travellers who are able to upload proof of a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of travel via the Thailand Pass system.

The Slate (above), previously known as the Indigo Pearl, meanwhile, remains a stylish delight.

A full review will follow once I have discovered all its charms. See theslatephuket.com.

# Jetstar flights between Sydney and Phuket operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays (twice per week return services). 

Melbourne flights operate on Tuesdays and Sundays.  

Sydney to Phuket fares start from $319 and Melbourne to Phuket from $289. There are economy and business class options on the comfortable Boeing 787-8 aircraft. See www.jetstar.com.au  

Just who are you dealing with?

Hospitality industry businesses are among the major culprits when it comes to overblown job titles. 

It often turns out that the executive vice-president for communications is a 20-year-old dogsbody and the chief of sanitation is the toilet cleaner. 

The COO is sometimes the No.2 in a two-person business. 

And the chief people and culture officer probably handles HR when not answering the phone.

But now there is a kickback against absurdity. 

US digital payments company Block is the latest firm to bid adieu to formal job titles, as CEO Jack Dorsey adopts the role of 'Block Head'. 

Businesses are now asking whether creative titles a playful way to encourage outside-the-box thinking, or just plain ridiculous?

In the Block Head’s case it is a semantic change only and there will be no changes to Dorsey's roles and responsibilities. 

His title change resembles a Tesla filing last year in which CEO Elon Musk added Technoking of Tesla to his official role at the electric car maker.

In the media industry, every second person is an editor, section editor, sub-editor or editor in chief. 

In hotels there are countless managers. Night manager, food and beverage manager, housekeeping manager, assistant manager…

It is time to end the nonsense and just acknowledge that some folk are workers. And always will be? 

Defying the odds: a special dining experience

Miss Mi has a couple of obvious strikes against it. 

First, it is a restaurant in a hotel. A combination which only rarely produces stellar food. 

Secondly, it serves an adventurous pan-Asian menu. And it is a fact that restaurants offering several different cuisines on one menu rarely manage to get any of them right.

Miss Mi, however, is an exception to many rules. 

From the Philippines to Myanmar, Vietnam to Sri Lanka, be prepared for a culinary journey around Asia that hits a lot of high spots. 

Which probably explains why the majority of diners are actually Asian residents of Melbourne rather than hotel guests. 

This is a restaurant in a hotel; not a hotel restaurant. 

It is located in the Movenpick Hotel on Spencer Street, just across the road from Southern Cross Station. The hotel itself will merit another story next week. 

Here is the website blurb: “Dynamic yet intimate, Miss Mi merges the exotic with the familiar. Here, time-honoured Asian techniques, ingredients and flavours are paired with modern methods as our team takes you on a culinary journey to the heart of Asia.” 

I ordered a couple of dishes but the chef knew I was in house so kept sending out samples for me to taste. A light dinner turned into a feast. A most agreeable feast. 

There is an open kitchen so you can keep an eye on proceedings as the kitchen cast of many nations gets to work.

On the evidence of my meal, Miss Mi merited the Good Food hat it was awarded within weeks of opening. 

Some of the star starters of a very tasty show: delightfully crispy and flavoursome Vietnamese-style chicken ribs with nuoc mam; an intriguing plantain and banana dish and dangerously moreish Hong Kong prawn toast with chives.

Mains standouts include wild kingfish kinilaw, a Filipino take on ceviche, and the excellent Burmese goat curry with lemon verbena from Myanmar (below).

The only dish that did not hit the mark for me; Sulawesi-style lamb ribs that were far too fatty for my taste.

There is a solid wine list with offerings from the likes of Longview and Helen’s Hill by the glass.

A nice casual vibe and smart service. Highly recommended.

Miss Mi is open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday from 6pm. Open for lunch from May 4, Wednesday to Friday from 12pm to 2.30pm. https://missmimelbourne.com.au 

Note: Accor Plus members enjoy 50% off their food bill.

Lemons add lift to “premier cru” gin

Bombay Sapphire is among the world’s leading gins - but there is drinking pleasure beyond the classic G+T. 

The distilling team from Bombay Sapphire has just launched a the new small-batch gin, Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru - a hand-crafted, super-premium gin that celebrates Murcia, Spain, and the citrus fruits found within the region.

The new releasefeatures Murcia’s fine lemons, with complementary mandarin and sweet navel orange flavours for a bittersweet kick.  

Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru offers a point of difference in mixed drinks and cocktails.

Bombay Sapphire Master of Botanicals, Ivano Tonutti (what a great job title), sources the ingredients. He said: “I am delighted to showcase the work of our suppliers and farmers in Murcia, many of whom I’ve known personally for over 20 years. 

“Each lemon has been hand-picked at its ripest moment in small quantities during the late harvest season, using skillful techniques passed down from generation to generation. 

“Murcian citrus is particularly special due to the exact region where it is grown. Sitting in a basin between mountain and sea, it is the perfect micro-climate for growing citrus that slowly ripens in the winter months for the best tasting fruit and impactful flavour.”

Bombay Sapphire’s Master Distiller, Dr Anne Brock said: “We are delighted that gin fans will soon be trying this stunning new expression from Bombay Sapphire, which is a multifaceted celebration of renowned Murcian citrus. I am incredibly proud of the meticulous processes used to produce Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru, from the skilled sourcing and preparation of botanicals, to my role in carefully adapting every small batch of gin to bring out the nuances of the late harvest during distillation, amplifying the unique characteristics and finest flavours into a consistent flavour profile every year.” 

So there! 

Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru has a higher ABV of 47% - so tread carefully. 

It is available at Dan Murphy’s and selected Vintage Cellars, First Choice and independent liquor stores for $79.